ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT: ANXIETY DISORDERS

Anxiety disorders are the world's most common mental disorders, says the World Health Organization, with an estimated 301 million people affected as of 2019 it utterflies in the stomach just ahead of an important exam, nervousness as we're headed for a job interview, or perhaps clam-my palms just after we have risked our lives crossing a road in our country. Some amount of anxiety is normal, and even healthy -- it may help alert us to a dangerous situation and focus our attention. An anxiety disorder however, goes beyond this.

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Anxiety disorders are the world's most common mental disorders, says the World Health Organization (WHO), with an estimated 301 million people affected as of 2019. More women than men are affected by anxiety disorders. In India, as of 2017, a staggering 44.9 million people had anxiety disorders according to the research paper: 'The burden of mental disorders across the states of India: the Global Burden of Disease Study 1990-2017' in The Lancet Psychiatry.

What are anxiety disorders?

Anxiety is different from fear, though the two may often be confused. The American Psychiatric Association states that anxiety refers to anticipation of a future concern and is more associated with muscle tension and avoidance behavior, whereas fear is an emotional response to an immediate threat and is more associated with a fight or flight reaction - either staying to fight or leaving to escape danger. People with anxiety disorders experience fear worry that is beyond the occasional -- it can be intense, excessive and hard to control. These feelings, the WHO states, are typically accompanied by physical tension and other behavioural and cognitive symptoms. They are difficult to control, cause significant distress and can last a long time if untreated.

In order for a person to be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, in general, the anxiety must be out of proportion to the situation and must impact their ability to function normally. Children, adolescents and adults can all experience anxiety disorders.

Where the mind is without fear: What is anxiety and how can we beat it?

What are the types of anxiety disorders?